Manchester United are fortunate to be in the FA Cup final after beating Coventry City on penalties.
For the second successive year,Manchester United needed a penalty shootout in the FA Cup semi-final. This time instead of Premier League Brighton, it was Championship club Coventry City who were the opponents.
Manchester United’s players could barely celebrate at full-time, and nor could the fans, as former star Roy Keane noted.
One player who did, controversially, was winger Antony, who appeared to goad Coventry City fans, and possibly the players after Manchester United scored the final spot-kick.
Lee Sharpe criticises Antony
Former Manchester United winger Lee Sharpe was unimpressed with Antony’s behaviour, contrasting him with Harry Maguire‘s more humble reaction.
He also noted that Antony had played poorly during the game – he was our lowest scoring star in our player ratings.
Speaking to Talksport, Sharpe said: “I think Antony may be a little bit too young and a little bit too naive as to how to behave after dodging a bullet.
“It’s not like he came on, he set the world alight when he did come on.
“I think Harry Maguire was humble enough to understand what had gone on and they had dropped a little bit. The goal at the end, I thought, summed up it.
“I think they were so lucky to get it offside. So, yeah, to be goading the Coventry players after what had happened, I think is a little bit out of order.”
Sharpe’s comments do provide some perspective, referring to Antony’s age in comparison to his more senior teammates, and he may learn from this for the future.
Beat City in the FA Cup final, and he can behave how he wants.
- READ MORE: Manchester United Player Wages 2023/24
Lee Sharpe gives Manchester United verdict
Sharpe went onto discuss what he thinks about Manchester United’s season in general, and referred back to theinjury situation.
He said: “They are miles off challenging for the title, obviously. I think top four, I think if they have had a season where they have had no injuries and had a full squad to pick from, if the manager could have had a bit of consistency, they might had more of a chance competing with Villa and Tottenham for fourth place.
“I do think injuries have crippled them this season. I don’t think the manager has picked the same back four more than two games in a row. I think he has already come out and said he has not been able to pick his best team all season because of injuries. So, he has missed some big players, but still, you know, that’s a long long way from where Manchester United need to be.
“Sir Jim Ratcliffe has got a huge job on his hands, and we are already seeing changes at the football club and I think we will continue to see them from now until the start of next season.”
Erik ten Hag‘s future at Manchester United remains unclear, but Sharpe did not offer his view on whether the club should stick with him or part ways, instead, you can deduce from his view on the injury problems, that he feels the manager has had a raw deal.